What to do when shopping in Singapore? Caveat emptor!

Singapore built its name as a shopper’s paradise over several decades. This reputation is going into the gutters with the spade of abusive and ugly incidents involving tourists became cheated in Sim Lim Square. Case and the Tourist Board are stepping into the picture to warn tourists or anyone visiting the shopping centre to be careful when making purchases.

Apart from posting warning posters in the shopping centre, this is what Case executive director Seah Choon Seng said, “We hope that consumers will be able to stand firm and say ‘no’ to pressure sales tactics. The money is in their wallet, and they can choose not to sing the sales agreement and pay the money.”

In addition, the Mypaper reporter Cheryl Faith Wee added more precautionary measures needed to be taken as advised by Seah. These include checking the receipts for details like formulas, symbols, etc and how the price is presented, cancelling out empty spaces, asking questions if not sure, and getting the shop keeper to sign to show agreement on the receipt.

Seah also said, “Consumers should exercise their rights to ensure that all the costs are broken down before accepting the transaction . If you do not have the invoice, it is your word against the rtailiers and it is very difficult for organizations like Case to arbitrate.”

The Singapore Tourism Board also advised ‘consumers to do what is necessary to protect their interests, such as researching products, checking return policies and coverage of warranties before agreeing to purchases.’

I think someone should conduct a course on how to shop safely in Singapore to protect from being fleeced and cheated by unscrupulous merchants. Shopping in Singapore’s shoppers’ paradise is going to be very demanding today. The best advice is not to shop here if one is not prepared to take all the above precautions.

As rightly pointed out by an engineer, Ng Jian Min, “Singapore should be a safe environment for everyone to shop in. I find it quite ridiculous that I should have to check my receipts so closely.  There must be more severe laws to punish these shops.” What say you CASE, STB?

Personally I will not shop there, and if I do I will bring my lawyers along, and better still, bring two burly bodyguards to make sure that I am safe from being harassed.

I didn’t know that shopping in Singapore’s shoppers paradise has become so dangerous.

I read an article in the Sunday Times this morning on Jover Chew.  He was praised sky high as a very clever man and knew the law. The best part, he has not broken the law. What he did was legal. Eeeeeeeeee....mummy, Jover never committed any crime or done anything illegal! I think there is no case against him and he cannot be prosecuted. He has the law on his side, he is not outside the law. He is inside the law. Got shadow or not(this phrase should be read in Hokien).

I thought of changing the title of this post to , 'What Jover Chew did is legal'. And to nail  Jover, there must change the law. And Rip Van Winkles are talking about it now.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Will Singaporeans be fighting for life and death in the next GE?

In the 60^th birthday of PAP celebration Hsien Loong said, “We have won the trust of the voters and the mandate to serve Singapore in every successive general election since then… and we will win the next one, too.” This could be true, and it would be a good thing if it is true. Hsien Loong must not forget that the victory is conditional, that the PAP must win the trust of the voters and the mandate to rule again. I like to change the word ‘serve’ to ‘rule’ as things have changed, and the PAP has changed, from serving to ruling the country and people. I would like to agree with him and wish him and the Party well, and win the next election. It would mean that the Party has returned to its roots, to its original goals in 1954, of serving the people and winning the mandate to serve. If it does not, then winning will be a shattered dream.

During the pre independence days, ‘It was a fight to decide Singapore's future - "a fight for life and death"… "Many people thought the Communist tide was unstoppable. It took brave people with fire in their bellies to stand up to them. Fortunately, the non-Communists in the PAP had that fire in their bellies and they stood and they fought, not only fought the Communists, but also fought to win the hearts and minds of the people."

Would the PAP live up to the ethos of the founding fathers of the PAP, fighting to serve the people? Has the ground shift with the shifting policies and interests of the PAP and leadership? My view is that the Party today and the leadership are highly different from pre independence days. Some would agree with me, but those in the PAP would not. It is for the people to decide as the people are the one that would benefit or suffer under the PAP leadership. If the people lose faith in the PAP and choose to give the mandate to a new party, the above quotes could read like this:

‘It was a fight to decide Singapore's future - "a fight for life and death" … "Many people thought the PAP tide was unstoppable. It took brave people with fire in their bellies to stand up to them. Fortunately, the new leaders and people had that fire in their bellies and they stood and they fought, not only fought the PAP, but also fought to win the hearts and minds of the people." And they triumphed and the new PM spoke to the people in the new National Stadium on its first anniversary as the ruling party,

“We have won the trust of the voters and the mandate to serve Singapore in the last general election … and we will win the next one, too.”

The political scenario could change, would change, if the PAP loses the trust of the people and a new party will take over to serve the people. The PAP has only a few more months to convince the people and to improve its chances and its right to serve the people, by serving the people and looking after their interests.  The PAP thinks it is serving the people, but are the people thinking so? Would it be that way, would it continue to rule the people in the way it thinks best and would the people go along, appreciate being ruled this way, and continue to trust the PAP and give it the mandate again in the next general election?

Or would the next general election be a life and death fight by the Singaporeans to free themselves from the rule of the PAP?

‘Today is the time to re-dedicate ourselves to the party and to Singapore….The PAP will always be on Singapore and Singaporeans’ side. Hsien Loong said this at the Victoria Concert Hall.  ‘Re dedicate’ is very meaningful, the party comes first, Singapore comes second. At least he still remembers the Singaporeans.  Would the Singaporeans still remember him and the PAP in the next GE?

What do you think?

Kopi Level - Yellow

Yang Yin – How to escape from Sin City

Yang Yin is out on $150k bail. It was reported that $10m of Ms Chung’s asset were missing and $500k had been transferred to Yang Yin’s parent. By absconding, running away and forfeiting $150k seems to be sup sup suey, and worth every cent spent, that is if he can disappear from Sin City and escaped serving 10 years behind bar. His passport has been impounded but that does not mean that he cannot escape. Many criminals in the past had their passport impounded too, but also disappeared like David Copperfield’s disappearing act.

Assuming that Yang Yin would want to do the same, what is the best way or how would he do so? With our highly reinforced checkpoints and our efficient ICA officers, it is nearly impossible for a fly to fly through the checkpoints without being detected. His photographs must be hanging in the immigration office next to the President’s for easy and ready recognition.

Not sure where he is staying, but presumably he will be closely watched. He may be tagged with an electronic device to track him. Assuming he could dismantle the tag, it is unlikely that he would walk out of his residence by the main door. Very likely, I think, he will climb out of the toilet window. Anyone watching him should pay special attention that there is no toilet rolls outside his toilet window. When the toilet rolls appeared, it would be the most obvious sign that he is making his move.

Assuming the person guarding his movement fell asleep and Yang Yin managed to slip out of the window and disappeared, the best place to search for him is the Straits of Johore. No need to waste time searching the reservoirs or Labrador Park or any other Parks. Skip Outram Park, Bishan Park, Kranji Park, Hong Lim Park and East Coast Park, and don’t bother about car parks. Just wait for him along the northern coast of the island.

And while waiting for him, it is important to clear the coast of plastic bottles in case he collects them and tie them to his body as floats. The best is to set him up by leaving a small sampan there with a string attached to haul him back once he is on board. A little help from our Malaysian Police on this would definitely be appreciated.

I think with all the experience we have learnt since the Mas Selamat escape, this Yang Yin would be like a bird in a cage, no where to run. Oops, did Mas Selamat escaped from a cage too?

I think there is really no chance for Yang Yin to do a Mas Selamat or a Tan Wah Piow. He would be safe in the island until his trial is over.

Wanna bet?

Kopi Level - Green

Why need so much in CPF Minimum Sum Schemes?

Below is quoted in a post in TRE on Gerald Giam’s question on the CPF Scheme in Parliament and a reply by Tan Chuan Jin.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: Most seniors have various sources of financial support in retirement. Based on the findings of the latest Household Expenditure Survey, a retiree household in 2012/2013 received $1,740 of non-work income on average a month. The sources of income include monthly payouts from CPF, contributions from family members, rental income and investment income. Results from the National Survey of Senior Citizens 2011 also indicated that about two-thirds of senior citizens received income transfers from their children.

Many of our seniors today also have savings in their housing assets which have appreciated significantly. A typical retiree household who owns a three-room or a four-room flat has $300,000 or $400,000 worth of net equity in the flat respectively. The Government has introduced schemes such as the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) to provide Singaporeans with additional options for unlocking the savings in their flats to supplement their retirement income if they wish to do so. Seniors who have other forms of financial support might not see the need to take up LBS, or they may choose to move to a small flat or rent out rooms in their flats instead.

Exactly, most seniors have other forms of income and financial support. The CPF savings is only one of these supports. Why is there a need to compel all the seniors to keep so much money in the CPF like ‘dalit’ money, untouchables? From the huge numbers, the statisticians must have used the premise that this is all the money needed for a senior to live on. This is false, a great flaw in assumptions. Many seniors not only do not need to depend on their CPF savings, many have more to spare and did not have to rely on their CPF savings. Ask the rich, the elites, and the ex ministers and political appointment holders.

There is no need to imprison the money of all the seniors in the CPF. I quote, ‘Most seniors have various sources of financial support in retirement.’ So, what is happening? Head I win tail you lose argument? When is the govt going to review the CPF Schemes and return the money to their rightful owners?

Listen to the insurers, everyone must have more than $1m in savings when they retired. How many people have $100k in savings when they retired? Are they going to starve to death? When don’t they say everyone must have $10m to live like a king?

Return Our CPF.

Kopi Level - Green

Integrity, Transparency and Accountability in NTU Governance

by MIKOspace

Reflections on Purported Forensic Investigations by the major public accounting firm Ernst&Young into possible financial improprieties and misconduct at the highest levels of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Good Governance is not natural or automatic. The promotion and maintenance of good governance is not easy.  Powerful financial forces act to corrupt power and trust to erode and succumb feeble-minds to the temptation of greed and corruption.  An unspoken “social contract” exists between public officials and the Singapore people whereby we “The People” can expect public institutions to put the interests of the many over those of a few, including themselves, as they exercise wise judgment in decision-making in accordance with the inherent principle of Trusteeship when advancing the economic, social and moral needs of an ethical and caring society.

Whither therefore the truth and nature of purported forensic investigations by the major public accounting firm Ernst&Young into possible financial improprieties and misconduct at the highest levels of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU)? Would the Report, if available, be made public like the one concerning the National Kidney Foundation some years ago? 

Of greater importance and public interest is whether public integrity watchdogs and enforcement agencies like the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and Corrupt Practices Investigations Bureau (CPIB) would follow up on the Report, if any, to evaluate whether any laws were breached and whether anyone should be charged for corruption or other heinous breach-of-trust offences, or they had abused their entrusted power for private profit.

If the purported Ernst&Young Report indeed revealed breaches of laws, it would not be surprising.  On several occasions, it had been mysteriously bizarre as to why NTU Senior Management chose to ignore relevant legal boundaries with such impunity even after these have been pointed out them. {Read More}

Would the purported Ernst&Young Report on NTU uncover other instances of corporate misconduct or breaches of established corporate governance rules?  Hopefully, no.  I shudder to think of the shameful publicity and ramifications that would result from such scandals on the fine reputation of NTU.

We must guard the integrity of public institutions jealously. Corruption takes over when we allow our national institutions to be subverted by unprincipled public officials or public employees determined to abuse their power, position and prestige for personal profit and gain. 

Kopi Level - Green

  

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NTU Governance - Integrity, Transparency & Accountability

Laws Broken for Top Universities Rankings